From The Institute to The Chair: Harry Stinson III, the new AD at Lincoln University, makes it a Hat Trick for LEAD1 Association!!!

The LEAD1 Association Institute begins Monday at the University of Colorado-Boulder.

Representing the 130 athletic directors and programs of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), LEAD1 operates The Institute each year in partnership with the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA). The Institute is a three-day educational forum where experienced athletics directors teach and share information and experiences through a mentoring process with senior associates that will be the future leaders in college sports administration. The goal of the Institute is to help the participants be better prepared to move into the role of the athletics director, also known as "The Chair."

Harry Stinson III is further proof that it is working!

Mr. Stinson was recently hired as the new Athletics Director at Lincoln University, moving up to The Chair from his present post as Associate Athletic Director/Compliance at Central State University. He joins Edward Scott and Monica Lebron as other Institute grads from 2016 who are rising in the world of college sports administration. Mr. Scott is now The Chair as the new Athletics Director at Morgan State University. Ms. Lebron is the COO and Deputy Athletics Director for Tulane University.

This edition of the LEAD1 Experience, an interview series from across LEAD1NATION!, the 41 states in which its member schools are located,

features an interview with Mr. Stinson. As such, submitted for your reading pleasure today is the following segment of the LEAD1 Experience:

LEAD1NATIONAMERICA: Meet the Rising Stars of College Sports Administration: Harry Stinson III!

LEAD1: Johnny Unitas, arguably the best quarterback of all time, said that success is never easy and its never because of luck: how does that apply to your current position and the future of your career?

I believe your future and your success in your career comes down to two things, Exposure to Success and your Success being Exposed. 

I have had the great pleasure of being exposed to some of the greats in our industry whether it was interacting with them at events like the D1 AD Institute or working with them on a variety of committees while serving the institution or the NCAA and those relationships have allowed me to learn from some of the biggest and brightest minds in the industry. And as you build those relationships and stay connected others outside of your campus get a chance to see your work, see the dedication and passion and watch you develop into a star. Networking is key to your success and upward mobility. Those you are exposed to become your champions and mentors and in turn they see your success and become a champion for you as you reach for the star of aspiration assisting you in reaching those goals, acquiring that new job or becoming that athletic director. That's been the key to my positioning and where I am currently.

LEAD1: Regarding your success in sports administration, did you intend that  to be your career?

Early in my career I thought I would be in professional sports on a track leading to a General Manager of a NBA however, during my time in graduate school I found collegiate sports as a passion and my desire to impact a multitude of students and their experience vs as a coach at that particular sport led me to want to work in collegiate athletics.

LEAD1: Tell us something that happened at the Division 1A Athletic Directors Association Institute that made you realize you did the right thing in choosing college sports administration as a career?

Sitting in the room and having discussions with my cohort as well as with the outstanding ADs who were teaching the curriculum, you get a sense of belonging and understanding their plight and that we are all going towards the same goal and that's ensuring the success of students during their years of college who happen to play a sport. That moment of clarity, that the goal is the same and that regardless if you are the AD at Ohio State (D1), Central State (D2) or a Division III school the goal is the same. Conversations that were had at the institute lead you to understand the bigger picture that you are doing the right thing, you are in the right career and here are others who are just like you seeking the same goals aimed at serving students and helping them succeed in their college years.

LEAD1: How often and how many of your friends from school who are bankers, lawyers, et al... have told you they envy what you are doing working in college sports with such a great future and wish they had the same?

Often times that conversation leads to them asking for tickets to homecoming but it is something you get all the time. Our job is some people's entertainment or how they connect with their alma mater or how they watch their son or daughter compete at the highest level. I truly enjoy the industry and having folks envy my position and see the fun I have working day in and day out makes it worth the long hours and let's you know you are doing something truly special.

LEAD1: We are all going to die someday: what do you hope to accomplish by then?

I would like to ensure that the students I work for reach their goals and have not only a support system but a group of folks that truly believe in them that whatever they believe and their minds conceive they can achieve. When students lives change because of their degree, or state they had an awesome student athlete experience shows we have been successful in our attempt at making a difference in their lives.

LEAD1: How damaging would paying athletes be to your school and to college sports overall?

I think it would devalue the collegiate experience and build barriers for institutions to compete at all levels. 

When students get paid their sense of connection to the university changes and shifts towards what I can acquire in a short amount of time monetarily vs the collegiate experience, the learning environment at the university and the affinity for the institution. I do believe there is a model to assist student athletes with their financial needs and acquiring additional resources that others profit off of but not at the stake of paying students to come to college and play a sport.

LEAD1: Athletes now are treated the best ever: how are they treated better than when you were in school?

I think the exposure the student gets from the media is the biggest way they are treated differently. Everything is big news, more conferences have every game nationally televised, more apparel deals that give students more things and the opportunity to travel the world more and more to compete. But these are all things that lead to a great career in sports because you actually are enriching a life.

LEAD1: What don't people realize about how well colleges care for and nurture today's scholarship athletes?

As technology changes so does how we care for our students, recovery time from injury is better because they have medical staffs and hospitals now on several campuses, the academic centers that are being invested in leads to better grades and ensures success academically for students (many athletic departments have overall GPA's of 3.0 or higher for student athletes), health and wellness of students continue to increase and of course the playing surfaces students compete on are the best leading to reduced injury. 

Technology plays a big part in ensuring the students are taken care of and leads to peak performance, academic success and ultimately a better student athlete experience.

LEAD1: When a recruit visits your school, what happens?

The student gets a chance to see the institution during its regular in session period. They get to see the student body, gets a chance to feel the atmosphere of the university and see how they might fit in on campus. They get a chance to interact with students, professors, administrators, see the facilities and enjoy the atmosphere we create at our home athletic events.

LEAD1: The Athletic Director has been described as the "front porch of the university." That is clearly working as most of the top ranked universities in the world are American, which is no surprise. But many such as Stanford, Duke, Cal Berkeley, UNC, Virginia, Penn State, et al... and others have great athletic departments. Does that surprise you. How does a sports program contribute to the overall greatness of a school?

I see athletics in two ways, a laboratory for the professional development of the student athlete and also a tool used to promote the institution, unite the community and engage the community. 

Students who compete at the highest level at schools such as Stanford, Duke, Cal Berkeley are being coached by the nation's best and have the greatest minds surrounding them on campus from the student body and the professors/administrators. The student athlete is developed in a way that leads them to perform under unique circumstances, overcoming obstacles and ultimately leading to success. How else can you deal with all the screaming fans in Cameron Indoor stadium, playing for an icon like Coach K and then expected to vie for a national championship every year and make a 3.0 at Duke University. And the institution now has a marketing tool on 11-15 Saturdays during the fall, has 30 opportunities to market the institution and engage fans at their basketball games and not to mention all of the other sports who connect with the community on a day to day basis. 

The Front Porch of the University, yes that's accurate but also the best way to engage fans, alumni, current students, faculty/staff and the community as a whole.

LEAD1: What do you miss most about when you were playing ball in college?

I miss my teammates and growing with them and our attempts at reaching our individual and team goals. The conversations, the fun times, the road stories, the gear and NIKE Shoes and of course.....winning the big game! And I miss hearing the FSU Fight Song and watching the fans do the Seminole Chop! Nothing compares to that!

LEAD1; What is the "Big Game" week like at your school?

Our big game is typically surrounding a homecoming event and the entire campus is engulfed in ensuring everything is pristine and this game is better than last year's game. The entire community is engaged, everyone is wearing the colors of the university and everyone is excited to beat our rival. It's filled with lots of meetings, last minute preparations and ensuring our students stay focused on the competition and not the surrounding events. 

All in all it is an exciting time and I look forward to it every year as we prepare to entertain all of the alumni near and far and defeat our rivals!

LEAD1: How many luxury suite tickets can you get us for that game?

Just depends on how much you are willing to donate to our scholarship fund and capital campaign, but just have your people contact my people and I'm sure I can get you and a plus one in!

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The LEAD1 Association represents the athletic directors, the programs, and the student-athletes of the 130 universities which comprise the NCAA Division 1 FBS. Key to the LEAD1 mission are influencing how the rules of college sports are enacted and implemented, advocating for the future of college athletics and providing various services to the members. The mission statement of LEAD1 Association is, "Supporting the athletic directors of America's leading intercollegiate programs in preparing today's students to be tomorrow's leaders!"

For any questions, please contact Jonathan Yates, Director of Communications and Public Affairs for LEAD1 Association, at 301-807-2523, or by email at [email protected].